Unfamiliar
by ImNotCallingYouALiar
Summary: 'Everything would be perfect. Everything would be the way it was meant to be. I would marry Matt, we would live in my house and then we'd have two little children who would adore their father with their every breath. Of course, this was all before Brady stumbled into my life. Literally.' How can any girl fight fate? Do I even want to? Brady/OC story T for safety
1. Chapter 1

'_It is easy to live for others, everybody does. I call on you to live for yourself.'_

There is something so final about endings. The end of a book. The end of a life. The end of our youth. Endings scared me. Petrified me until I was almost sick with worry about what would come next. In my case, as the last two months of my senior year loomed I couldn't get rid of the tightening of my stomach or the constant nip of my mother's distant voice in my head. An empty path lay in front of me and I had no clue where it was going. I wished I had a plan. I wished I knew what I wanted.

All that I really knew was that I wanted more. Just more. More than Forks.

It felt awful and almost nauseating to even think such a thing. Saying the words out loud would almost have been like committing a sin, not that I would ever have the guts to do such a thing. Glancing down at Matt's hand entangled with mine I wondered why I craved more. I had never known anything else other than Forks. It was my home. It was the place that I had walked for the first time, had my first kiss, driven my first car. It was familiar.

The sound of the waves crashing against the nearby rocks jolted me from my thoughts. Matt's hand squeezed mine tighter as if he knew I was drifting off to some dangerous place. Matt's hands were almost as familiar to me as my own; the raised skin on his knuckles where he had punched a wall in a moment of rage and the calloused feel of his skin from the days upon days where he worked alongside his Grandpa in his garden. Familiar.

For as long as I could remember Matt had been my everything. My lift to school. My best friend. My first kiss. He had held me when I cried. Laughed with me into the night. Danced with me until my feet hurt. We knew each other almost as well as we knew ourselves. There were no surprises lurking around the corner, no secrets that would stay buried for years. We were just us. Sometimes I found myself wondering if that would be enough. Sometimes, I craved the need to be surprised. It was selfish of me.

The icy air seemed to clutch at my lungs as we walked. The beach had always been my escape; somewhere I could put life on hold for an hour. First Beach helped me to forget about the pile of assignments piled beneath my bed and the emptiness of the house that awaited me. The beach was raw and cold and real. It was the only part of my life that didn't seem forced. The only part of my life that allowed me to be me. Once upon a time Matt had understood that desire within me but watching his stony expression and each purposeful stride I wondered when I had begun to lose the boy that I had fallen in love with. He always seemed so damn serious. I wanted him to laugh with me as we once had. I wanted him to run into the waves with me while the rain fell around us and chase me along the beach.

Yet, I didn't resist as he towed me over to a piece of driftwood, even though I would have much preferred to keep walking. To me, Matt was safe and reliable. My mother had fawned over him; her smile had been outrageously wide whenever he had come over for dinner. He reminded me of that smile. And it was never hard with him as many relationships were. Things were simple, uncomplicated. I hid behind him in way that only he would let me and I loved him for it. He was my shield from the rest of the world. My armour.

"Are you cold?" His voice was soft, caring in a way that I often took for granted. Glancing down at his giant hoodie which I had stolen from his car I just smiled. I had a pile of his clothes lying by my bedroom door. I would layer them up when the heating cut out and snuggle under my covers. I was surprised he had any clothes left. They were almost a part of me, just as he was.

"No," I murmured as he sat down beside me. His face was serious as always, his brown eyes searching as they skimmed over my face in a familiar way. I forced the sides of my lips to curl up at the sides into a smile.

"I love you," his voice was unusually soft as his hand reached out to cup my face. I was too shocked to react. Of course I knew Matt loved me, we just didn't feel the need to say it often. We knew. I swallowed loudly as he continued to examine me almost critically. Something was wrong. My stomach twisted tighter into a knot as I gripped tightly onto his hand.

"I love you too." The words were true but yet they felt sour in my mouth, as if I was living a lie. The words hung in the air like something ominous. His answering grin was breathtaking.

"Marry me?"

Everything seemed to still around me. Matt was looking at me expectantly. Marry him? I was seventeen years old. I had a whole life ahead of me. I had wild parties to attend and strangers to kiss. I wanted to live. I wanted to be free from the chains that seemed to tie me down to everyday life.

"Matt," I whispered carefully, "We're still in high school and-"

"I know," he cut me off, "But it would be perfect. I could move into your house after graduation. You wouldn't have to be alone. And I could work in the shop, take over my brother's management position when he goes travelling. Why wait? We could have everything we have always wanted."

Everything we always wanted.

That was the problem, I didn't know what I wanted. I tried to imagine being stuck in Forks my whole life. Would I turn out like Mrs Stanley hiding behind cereal boxes in the supermarket to hear people's conversations? Or would I become depressed like Mrs Burns? I didn't want to just be another person who never left. The thought left me clawing for breath in panic.

"I'm not alone," I murmured, repeating the only thing that I had managed to hear. He looked physically wounded as he sat back down beside me. I hated hurting him. I could almost imagine my Mum's frowning face as she watched me reject him. In the same instant, I could see more clearly her breathtaking smile as I stood at the alter. It was what she would have wanted.

"I worry about you," his voice was unusually hoarse, "I want you to be home when I get in at night. I want the world to know you are mine. Is that so wrong?"

No. It wasn't. I was just an awful person.

I thought of all the times he had dropped everything to be by my side. He had always been my rock. I trusted him entirely. It was questionable whether I would ever find someone as dependable as Max again. I could be content easily; helping around the shop when there were busy days wouldn't be too bad, having someone to hold me while I slept would be an extra bonus.

"It would have made your Mum happy."

His words seemed to stab me in the chest. Glancing up towards the grey sky I took a deep breath. A raindrop fell on my cheek and Matt reached to wipe it away without hesitation. I was being selfish. I didn't need to travel the world or have my heart broken. Who the hell would ever want that?

Drinking in the sight of his familiar, honest fact I tried to think of any good reason why I shouldn't marry him. I drew a blank. We took each other for granted and I realised that even though I wanted more, I couldn't fathom a world without Matt protecting me from the critical stares of others.

"Okay." I forced the words from my lips. Matt turned to face me; his eyes unbelieving. He had expected me to say no I realised. It pained me that he had almost been right.

"Okay?" he questioned. I winced as his hand grew tighter around mine as if to make sure I was truly there and not just a figment of his imagination. I smiled; a genuine smile that time. It always made me happy to see Matt happy. He deserved it. I didn't deserve him.

"Okay," I forced a girly giggle from my mouth, "Yes, I'll marry you."

I barely had time to breath before he crushed me to his chest. I buried my head in his shirt. Everything would be perfect. Everything would be the way it was meant to be. I would marry Matt, we would live in my house and then we'd have two little children who would adore their father with their every breath. I was prepared to marry Matt.

Of course, this was all before Brady stumbled into my life. Literally.

_Thoughts? _


	2. Chapter 2

_"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."_

"Drive."

Matt was watching my every move from the front window. He was still wearing the grin that had been plastered on his face ever since I had said yes to his proposal. He was so damn happy, it made my heart physically ache.

"What? Where do-"

"Just drive."

I forced myself to lift my hand and wave at Matt. I hoped the expression on my face was neutral; I was finding it hard to breath. Ever since we had driven home from the beach his hand had been in mine, or on my knee, or in my hair. I could smell him on my skin. I could taste him on my lips. He hadn't given me a moment to process everything. My mouth was beginning to hurt from smiling.

"Jade? Are you alright?"

I couldn't speak. I was replaying the scene from the beach over and over in my head. Clearly, I could imagine my Mum's bright smile when I told her I was marrying Matt. I could imagine her bringing out her 'special bottle of wine' and immediately phoning the entire town to tell them our news. She would have been so happy.

Maybe that was why my heart felt so heavy in my chest. Maybe it wasn't the actual thought of marriage. Maybe it was knowing that my Mum would never be there to watch me walk down the aisle or pick dresses or tell Mrs. Stanely how my wedding would be so much better than Jessica's.

"Jade? You're beginning to scare me now."

Louise looked unusually tense and I watched as she tightened her grip on the wheel. Her chestnut, brown hair was thrown up in a messy bun as if she had run out of the house as soon as I had called.

"I'm fine," I managed to say. The further away we got from town, the easier it became for me to breath. I realised Louise was heading in the direction of La Push.

"You don't sound fine," her eyes darted between me and the road, "You sounded frantic on the phone. I thought something had happened to you, or Matt. You can't do that to me. I was expecting to find you half dead, not waving and grinning like a twelve year old." Shit. I hope Matt hadn't picked up on my awful acting skills. I thought I was pretty convincing.

"Matt…asked me to marry him."

I let out a curse word as Louise slammed on the breaks, my whole body jolted forward. Her eyes were wide. Behind us, a car beeped their horn but Louise just flipped them off. She was grinning; it hurt to look at.

"That's great!"

I just stared at her.

"Not great?" She tried again. I couldn't find the words to answer her. She let out another curse as the horns continued to blare behind us.

"Alright, alright! I'm moving."

I closed my eyes as the car slowly began to move again. I could feel her eyes watching me, rather than the road, which worried me slightly. She had never been the best driver; my Mum would always jokingly place her hand on her heart when Louise brought me home safe from a night out.

"What's wrong? This is amazing news."

"I just-" I stumbled over my words, "It was so unexpected. He's eighteen, I'm seventeen. People are going to think I'm knocked up."

"When have you ever cared what people thought?" She was right. I took it upon myself to try and ignore the town gossip, however hard it seemed at times. Where as Louise thrived in it; she loved to know who was cheating on who and who was the latest person to succumb to alcoholism. It was just the same shit over and over again.

"I just don't know if this is what I want."

The same familiar road passed by us in a blur. We had driven down it so many times I had lost count. I could remember clearly when Louise had first got her license and we had turned the radio up so loud as we drove that we couldn't hear ourselves think. Everything had seemed so simple then.

"This is Matt we're talking about," Louise smiled gently at me, "Reliable, caring Matt. The same Matt who brings you coffee in bed in the morning and doesn't mind when you drink milk from the carton, which personally I think is gross. Who wouldn't want that?"

"It's just all so sudden," I was grasping around to find some reason why marriage was a bad idea, but my mind was drawing a blank. Louise just laughed.

"You have been dating since you were thirteen. There is nothing sudden about this."

"I don't understand why we just can't wait awhile."

"Nobody is saying you have to get married straight away," I jumped as Louise put a reassuring hand on my arm, "People can be engaged for years."

Not in Forks they couldn't. I knew as soon as the news of our engagement was around town people would be cornering me asking about dates and bridesmaids and honeymoons. People lived for weddings in Forks, there wasn't much else to look forward to. The longest engagement had been eight months. But I swallowed these thoughts.

"You're right," I said instead. And she was. We had both known Matt since birth. She was my best friend, aside from Matt, and if she didn't have any doubts, then I definitely shouldn't.

"I normally am," she winked as she pulled into the new Diner on the outskirts of La Push, "Now will a slice of chocolate cake cheer you up?"

"You know me too well."

"I do," she stopped me from getting out of the car, "And that's why I know you will be happy with Matt. You're just in shock just now."

I knew what shock felt like. Shock made my bones fell heavier and my movements feel sluggish. Shock was like a slap in the face. Shock was not what I was experiencing in that moment but I nodded my head in agreement with Louise. I had found myself agreeing with people more and more even when I thought they were wrong. It was the only way to live in Forks without alienating yourself from the entire population. I often wondered how Matt and Louise seemed to integrate themselves into the community so seamlessly while I often felt like I was wading knee deep in mud. Matt was the only reason people ever spoke to me; well that, and their pity. Which I hated.

"Can I help you?"

I realised I had gotten out of the car and followed Louise into the Diner without even thinking about it. I could feel myself getting a headache as I slid into a booth. A waitress was looking at me expectantly.

"I'll have a coffee. Black please." Like my soul. I was a heartless person. If Matt was still at my house when I got back, I would ask him to stay the night and make him breakfast in bed in the morning. I couldn't believe that I had abandoned him the night that he had proposed to me. I felt sick.

"What about your chocolate cake?" Louisa was looking at me with narrowed eyes while the waitress looked more interested in the table of locals across from us, rather than our order.

"I'm not hungry anymore," I lied, "But could I have a slice to take away when we leave?" Matt loved their chocolate cake almost as much as I did.

"Of course."

Louise and I both watched in silence as the waitress walked away. One of the locals shouted something at her and she blushed and gave him a wave before walking quickly in the direction of the kitchen. Irrational jealousy grew within me. I tried to remember the last time that Matt had made me blush. I tried to remember the last time he had complimented me in front of our friends.

"Huh?" I realised Louise was trying to talk to me.

"I was asking who you're going to pick to be bridesmaids? Obviously me," I rolled my eyes at her, "But who else? Angela always looks good in anything she wears. I will not have Mrs Stanely bribe you into having Jessica. That girl has been a bridesmaid too many damn times to count. Besides, I think her and Mike might be hearing the sound of tiny feet soon, if you know what I mean?"

I tried to tune her out. I watched the way her eyes would widen when she remembered a new bit of gossip and the way she flung her hands about to describe what she was saying. In school, we would sit up the back of the classroom and talk about Paris and Vegas and Australia. We would talk about becoming lawyers or pilots or writers. I could understand her excitement over those things. I wondered when she had begun her transition from dreamer to settler. I wondered when it would happen to me too.

"Jade?" She snapped her fingers in front of my face, "Are you even listening to me?"

"Of course," I lied flawlessly. I was getting good at lying. My Mum would have been disappointed. The thought made my chest hurt.

"What did I just say?"

"Something about Jessica and Mike and babies?"

She just sighed.

"We've moved onto Charlie Swan now. Did you see he's put his house up for sale? It's about time, he's practically lived with that Sue women for years now. I wonder what ever happened to that daughter of his."

"It's not really any of our business."

The silence grew between us. That had been beginning to happen more and more. When we were younger, there had never been any silence between us. She had always known what I was thinking.

"Look, I know you're anxious about the wedding, but you don't have to do this alone," I kept my eyes on the table as she spoke, "I can help you, I'm the most organised person you know. We can go to cake tastings and dress fittings. It is going to be the wedding of the decade. And-"

I couldn't listen to her rambling on. I just couldn't. My headache was building.

"I-I need the bathroom."

"Jade?" Louise called after me, but I ignored her. Instead of heading for the toilet, I headed for the door. I needed some fresh air.

"Brady! Watch out!"

All the breath left me in one gasp as one of the men coming in through the front door slipped on a wet patch on the floor and literally fell on top of me. Damn. He was heavy. My back was definitely going to bruise from that fall.

"Jade? Are you alright?" Louise's voice sounded far away. I struggled to push the giant man off of me. I could hear the other locals laughing around us. A proposal and public humiliation all in one day; just what I needed.

"Crap. I'm so sorry." I finally let out a breath as Brady rolled off of me and jumped to his feet. He immediately reached for my hand to help me up.

And as cheesy as it sounds, that's when our eyes met, and everything else disappeared. Just for a second. But it terrified me. If he could make me forget everything; Matt, Louise, my Mum with just one look, what would happen if I stared for too long.

_Thoughts? _


	3. Chapter 3

Someone coughed.

I then realised I had been staring at Brady for a good five minutes. I could hear some of the locals talking in fast whispers behind me. Growing red, I ignored Brady's outstretched hand and got to my feet, looking anywhere but his eyes in the process. I could still feel him looking at me; it felt way too intense. We had known each other for a whole ten minutes, yet it felt like he had been staring at me for a lifetime.

"Jade? Jade, are you alright?"

Louise was beside me instantly. Her eyes were narrowed and she had her hands on her hips. She looked pissed off. I knew before she even opened her mouth that she was going to make a scene. I tried to look apologetically at Brady. He looked medically drugged; as if he was seeing some faraway planet that I could never dream of seeing. Yet, he seemed to still be looking at me. I was ready to bolt.

"Maybe you should watch where you are going in future," Louise was glaring at Brady. It was a glare that had made me stop in my tracks countless times over the years but Brady didn't even blink.

"Your name is Jade?" He said instead. The whole Diner just stared at him. There was definitely something wrong with him.

"Is he on Drugs? I have Forks Police Department on speed dial. If he's on drugs, I advise y'all to get his ass home right now." Louise was in her element and she had suddenly developed an accent that I had never heard before. I fought the urge to curl up into a ball on the floor. I just wanted to leave.

"Would someone please make her shut up?" one of Brady's friends muttered from behind me. Amen to that. Not that it was likely to happen anytime soon.

"Are you even listening to me?" Jade stepped right up in Brady's face. That was when he blinked; it was as if something had finally registered in his brain. One of his friends stepped up beside him to put a calming hand on his arm. However, he didn't look angry. In fact, he looked more confused than anything else.

"Yes. I'm sorry," Brady took a step forward, his arm outstretched as if to touch me. Louise's eyes narrowed even further and I took a step backwards. Brady looked wounded. I didn't know what was going on with me. My stomach seemed to be twisting itself in knots and my legs were almost too shaky to stand on. The last and only time I had ever felt like that was when Matt had first kissed me, when we were fifteen years old. He hadn't had that effect on me since.

Oh god. Poor Matt. I had hardly even given him a second thought.

"I'm really sorry," Brady was still speaking, "I should watch where I'm going."

"He's always falling over things," his friend grinned beside him. I felt like I was going to throw up.

"Don't worry about it," I managed to find my voice, "I'm fine. But we have to go now. Sorry about the disruption."

"Go?" Brady looked frantic and I watched as his eyes fixed on the door behind me as if he would do anything to stop me walking through it. Another one of his friends moved closer to him. It was as if they thought he was going to do something stupid. It made me nervous; my lips were dry.

"We have school in the morning," Louise spoke up and took the take away package of chocolate cake from the waitress when she tried to hand it to me. She liked to be in control of the situation.

"You're still in school?"

"Yeah, we-"

"We're Seniors," Louise interrupted, "Which means lots of work to do."

"Really? I remember being a senior. I think Kim and I spent most of it in the carpark outside of school." Another one of Brady's friends chimed in. I watched as a girl flushed a deep red and hit him on the arm, he didn't even flinch. Instead, he bent down to her level and pressed a gentle kiss on her cheek. She sighed and folded into his side like it was the most natural thing in the world. I couldn't keep my eyes off of them.

"Well, we clearly have a different work ethic in Forks. We actually like to make something of our lives."

I just stared at Louise. The whole Diner stared at her. I had never been so embarrassed in my whole entire life. She didn't know any of the people standing in front of us, and yet she judged them all in an instant because they came from the reservation. She was turning into the kind of person that I used to hate.

"Louise? Please shut up."

"I'm only trying to help." She looked wounded.

"Well don't." Nearby, someone whistled under their breath. I felt like I was being torn in two. Strangely, I felt some weird connection to Brady and The Diner but I had known Louise forever, she had always been there for me.

"Fine," Louise started towards the door, "I'll be waiting in the car. Don't do anything stupid." I flinched as the door slammed shut behind her. I was going to have to beg for her forgiveness for days; I was wondering whether it was even worth the effort. Maybe we had grown too far apart to repair. The thought made a sob catch in my throat. When had everything gotten so complicated?

As people returned to their seats I flopped into the nearest booth. I was going to pay for the coffees that we didn't even drink and then get the hell away from La Push. My hands shook as I undid the zipper on my bag.

"Hey?" I jumped as someone placed a warm hand on my shoulder. I didn't even have to look around to know it was Brady.

"Hey. Sorry, I'll be leaving in a minute. Just need to pay." I hated how quiet my voice came out. I never had a problem with expressing my opinions, but with Brady nearby, all coherent thought seemed to seep from my body. I was a nervous wreck in his presence.

"Don't worry about money," his hand was still on my arm, "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm great." I made the mistake of turning around and catching his eye once again. He was so huge; at least a foot taller than Matt. However, I didn't feel intimidated in his presence, just safe. It was strangely refreshing.

"You look pale," I stiffened as his and moved from the spot on my arm up to touch my cheek, I shuffled backwards, "I can drive you home if you want."

Outside, Louise leant on the horn as if she could hear exactly what Brady was saying. I sighed aloud. If only I had my own damn car.

"I'm great. Louise is running me home," I grinned as I found a couple of dollars lurking in the bottom of my bag and threw them on the table, "I really should be going though."

It was then I realised that Brady was blocking my only escape route. There was no way I was going to be able to go around him.

"If you could just let me by then-"

"Can I have your number?" I think I choked on the surrounding air. My face flamed once again as I let out a strangled cough. Nobody had ever asked for my number before. I must have heard him wrong.

"What?" I croaked.

"Your cell number? Can I have it?" He was talking to me like I was a three year old. His lips were curled up into a soft smile; it was quite endearing, it made him look younger. Inwardly, I cursed myself for even looking at his lips. They were not my lips to look at.

"Why?"

"To call you?"

Louise leant on the horn again. I glanced out of the window to see her watching my every movement. It was like she didn't trust me to be around Brady on my own. I was beginning to wonder if I deserved her mistrust. I was mentally flipping Matt off by even considering giving Brady my number; he didn't deserve to be treated like shit. Matt was a good guy. A great guy. My guy. I just had to remember that.

"No," I stood up suddenly, forcing Brady to step backwards and let me past, "I don't think that would be a good idea."

I could feel everyone's eyes on me once again as I walked quickly towards the door, praying desperately that I wouldn't trip and fall flat on my face once again.

"Why not?" Brady's footsteps matched mine perfectly. He just wouldn't give up. It would have been flattering if I had been any other girl.

"I have a-" I began to tell him about Matt, but my throat seemed to seize up. The thought of Brady and Matt being part of the same world made me feel a little nauseous.

"A?" Brady prompted.

"A really busy few weeks at school before I graduate," the lie felt sour in my mouth, "I don't need any distractions." Not counting my pending wedding or plans for my future of course.

"I wouldn't be a distraction." Why did his grin have to be so damn distracting? He was too cute. Way too cute to be talking to me, that was for sure.

"Sorry. I just can't."

"Wait. _Wait_!" My hand was on the door handle when Brady stopped me for the final time. He was making it so damn difficult to leave. It was verging on creepy, or that's what I was trying to tell myself so I wouldn't melt into his unnatural warmth.

"Take this," Brady placed a torn piece of paper into my hand, "It's _my_ number. If you need me, any time, day or night. Call me. I'll be waiting."

Before I could even open my mouth, he had bypassed me and made his way out the door. One of his friends frowned at me as they pushed by me in an attempt to follow him. I could tell that he didn't like me by just one look. I wondered what I had ever done to offend him.

My legs felt heavy as I made my way to Louise's car. She didn't speak one word to me as she put the car into gear and released the handbrake.

"What was that all about?" She eventually spoke as we drove over the halfway line between Forks and La Push. I continued to look out of the window as her eyes flickered towards me.

"Nothing," I picked at a loose thread on my shorts, "He was just apologising again."

"He was standing a bit too close."

"You know what people are like in La Push," I tried to keep my voice steady, "They like hugs a little more than the average person. He was just being friendly."

"A bit too friendly if you ask me."

"Well, I didn't."

"It would be stupid to jeopardise everything you have achieved for one of those boys from La Push. They're like animals. Jessica told me that they walk about with no shirts on even when it rains. She says they practically live in the forest." I tried not to laugh. Since when had Louise ever believed a word Jessica Stanley said? In fact, when had Louise and Jessica ever had a proper conversation?

"You're not my Mom Louise."

"Well, someone has to be."

I felt as if she had physically slapped me in the face. She had sunk too low. My hands curled into fists and I refused to even give her the satisfaction of seeing my eyes glass over. She had no fucking right to bring my Mom into our argument.

"I-I didn't mean that." Her voice was quiet as she rolled to a stop outside my house.

"Yes, you did."

I didn't give Louise the chance to spout anymore poison. Instead, I jumped out of the car and slammed the door behind me. Relief swarmed me when I realised that Matt's truck was no longer in the driveway.

My heart felt heavy in my chest as I walked into the kitchen and found a note taped to the fridge.

'Away home for the night to tell the family our news. Hope you had a good night with Lou. If you want me to come back and stay the night, then just text me. If not, I'll pick you up at the usual time tomorrow. Love you."

I pressed a hand to my mouth as I slid down the fridge and sat on the floor. I felt dirty even though I hadn't really done anything wrong. Despite Matt's note, my thoughts were consumed with the mud brown eyes of Brady and his wide smiling face. I was a mess. My Mom would be disappointed in me. The thought was like a bullet to the chest.

_Thoughts?_


	4. Chapter 4

_As always, thank you so much for the reviews. I've been on holiday all week but the idea for this chapter would just not leave me alone so instead of unpacking, I sat down and wrote this straight away. Enjoy..._

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?"

Holding back a sigh, I leant against the counter and watched as Angela kissed Ben goodbye outside the shop. She laughed, a hearty laugh, at something Ben said. The way he was looking at her made my heart want to melt. Her cheeks always flushed a rosy pink whenever he was nearby.

I placed my phone in the crook of my neck as I refolded a sweater that someone had returned. The door pinged as Angela walked back into the shop. It was only then that I realised Matt was still talking. It worried me how easily it felt to tune out his voice.

"Sorry," I interrupted him, "What did you say?"

He didn't even bother trying to hold back a sigh. I could hear his brother's easy laughter in the background and the low hum of the radio.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" He repeated. Angela smiled at me as she hung her parka up on the hook by the door. Her hair was wet and she had on her regular pair of wellies; she never went anywhere without them.

"I'll be fine," I rolled my eyes in Angela's direction, "I promise not to crash your car. I do know how to drive you know."

"Badly." I could hear the grin in Matt's voice, I couldn't help but smile too. Sometimes, I forgot how well we knew each other. Sometimes, I forgot that we had been friends first.

"Hey! I'm not _that _bad."

"It's not even a five minute drive," I laughed, "I'll be fine."

"Just don't drive into anything," Matt's brother shouted in the background, "He just spent a fortune on the paint work."

"Don't listen to him," I heard a thud as Matt hit his brother on the arm, "Just be careful, okay? I wish you and Louise weren't still having this stupid argument. I would feel better if she ran you home."

"If anything happens, I'll phone her," I lied. We had barely spoken for a whole week, which for us, was the equivalent of a lifetime. Every time she tried to approach me, I walked in the opposite direction. I knew I was being childish, but the thought of falling back into our normal routine; her talking endlessly about everyone in town and me having to listen, her deciding what parties we went to and where we ate sounded tiresome. I liked making my own decisions. Matt just didn't understand. Louise and I had outgrown each other.

"Good," Matt's voice was quiet, "Give me a text when you get in and leave the door unlocked," I frowned, "I feel like staying tonight, if that's okay? I miss you." We had literally spent the whole day at school together. We had sat beside each other in English and held hands at the lunch table. I had been looking forward to lounging about on the sofa and pigging out on pizza while watching reality television - which Matt despised. I craved some alone time. I was being selfish, as always.

"Of course that's okay," I said instead of voicing my complaints. I didn't have the energy to argue with him. Besides, the extra warmth in bed wouldn't go amiss. I just hoped I was already sleeping by the time he got back from Port Angeles.

"I love you," he murmured. He had taken to pronouncing his love a hell of a lot since I had agreed to marry him. He was always so darn happy. My heart felt heavy in my chest as I watched the rain make intricate patterns on the shop window.

"I love you too."

I stared at my phone for a moment too long when we disconnected. Angela was sitting on the countertop flicking through one of the many classic novels that she carried with her at all times.

"I hear a congratulations is in order?"

Angela and I had been working together for just over a year. We worked in the only clothing store in Forks. She also worked in the library during the day. Everything was so effortless with Angela. It had surprised me how easily we seemed to get along, and as I had drifted away from Louise, Angela had become my source for emotional outlet, despite the small age gap. She was a good friend.

"I guess," I smiled, a small smile. She reached out to squeeze my hand. Everyone was so damn happy about Matt and I's engagement. Everywhere I turned, people would be grinning. It was almost too much to handle. I should have been the one with a smile on my face. I should have been the one with the skip in my step. Nobody else.

"Ang? Why have you and Ben never gotten married?" I recalled the loving moment that they had shared only seconds earlier.

They had been together ever since I could remember. Ben was a constant figure at the shop. He was one of the funniest men I had ever met. And Angela adored him. That much was clear.

"There's no rush," Angela shrugged, "We would rather save and go travelling than get married. We know we love each other."

"Do you not feel pressured?"

"It's no one else's decision apart from mine and Ben's. Sure; my Mum would love to see me in a white dress, but in all likelihood, if we ever do get married, it will be probably be a spur of the moment thing and I'll be wearing jeans."

I smiled. That sounded like my idea of perfection. For a moment I let myself imagine standing on a beach on a tiny island saying my vows. However, I knew Matt would never go for the idea. He adored Forks, it worried me just how much he loved it at times. It meant that I would never escape it.

"Not that marriage isn't a wonderful thing," Angela said hastily, "You and Matt are perfect for each other. And I'm sure it will be a gorgeous wedding." So everyone kept saying. We both flinched as the rain got heavier and slammed against the window.

"You can head home if you want? You stayed late last night."

"No, I-"

"I mean it," Angela interrupted me, "You look like you could use an early night." Angela was smarter than anyone ever gave her credit for. I was continuously amazed by her ability to read people; although, it was slightly annoying when she continued to beat me in sales week after week.

"Thanks Angela. I owe you one."

"Now we're even," she corrected me as I grabbed Matt's hoodie from underneath the counter. They were just so damn cosy.

"If you're plan is to suck up to me so you can be a bridesmaid, then it's working."

"You know me too well."

We both laughed. Secretly, I wished I could be as selfless as Angela. That was the kind of person that Matt deserved. Not me.

xxxxxxxxx

It was only when I was sitting in front of the wheel that the smile slipped off of my face and I took a deep breath. It was exhausting pretending to be happy all of the time. It shouldn't have been so hard. Matt was amazing, yet I had a niggling feeling in the pit of my stomach that refused to go away. Something was wrong.

The rain got heavier as I put the car into gear and pulled away from the kerb without injuring myself or others; Matt would have been proud.

The thought of going home to an empty house made me feel suddenly lonely. I missed the days when I went home to a homemade meal instead of something microwaveable. Sometimes, I thought about selling my childhood home but then I would remember the memories that covered every surface of the house. If I sold the house, I would never be able to look at the stain on the hall carpet and remember the night my Mum laughed so hard that she spilled her red wine - which was so unlike her. I would never be able to look at the painted red walls in her bedroom and remember how we sat in the middle of the room and ate Chinese food after painting all day. At times, I swore I could even still smell her perfume lingering in the air.

It hurt to think about her, but the thought of forgetting everything seemed a whole lot more terrifying. She had been the most important thing in my life.

I let out a scream as something darted in front of the car. My whole body jolted forward as something smashed against the bonnet. The car skidded as I slammed on the breaks, my breathing heavy. I hadn't even been watching where I was going. Shaking, I realised that I had been heading away from Forks and towards La Push without conscious thought. My heart hammered in my chest and I jumped as thunder rumbled in the distance. I had hit something. Something big.

Oh God. Oh God.

Sitting forward in my seat, I tried to see if there was anything on the road but it was just too damn dark. My whole body continued to shake. I couldn't make myself go out into the dark. What the hell was I going to do if there was a body on the road? Pressing my hand over my mouth, I forced myself not to vomit.

Tears blurred my vision as I reached for my phone. I needed help. It was only then that I realised Matt was in Port Angeles. A wolf howled nearby. Frantic, I reached to make sure my door was locked. It dawned on me that I was in the middle of nowhere, with no cars nearby and I may have just killed something.

"Oh god." My voice sounded too loud in the sudden silence of the night. Desperately, I wished that I had just driven straight home like Matt had told me to do. I held my breath as I turned the key in the ignition. And nothing happened. Another sob got caught in my throat. Just typical.

Without thinking, I reached for my bag on the floor. I had tried to throw Brady's number away during the week, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Instead, I had hidden the bit of scrap paper inside my Trig textbook, one place Matt definitely would not go near even if I paid him. My hands continued to shake as I dialled the unfamiliar number. Another wolf howled in the distance and I held my breath, too scared to make a noise.

"Jake?" Brady sounded annoyed, "I told you to stop. I'll be there in literally two-"

"It's not Jake." My voice was wobbly. The other end of the line went deadly silent.

"I-I'm sorry, but you said I could call you f-for anything and-"

"Jade?" His voice was instantly softer, another tear escaped from the corner of my eye, "Jade? Is that you? Are you alright?" My eyes instantly swivelled to the darkness in front of the car. No, I definitely wasn't alright. It was suddenly very cold.

"I think I hit something," I whispered, "And the car won't start. I'm so sorry for calling you, I just don't know what to do." My voice cracked at the end. I heard Brady inhale sharply.

"Where are you?"

"I-I don't know."

"Think Jade," he sounded desperate, "Please think."

"Somewhere between Forks and La Push. I think." My head was aching. I couldn't go to prison, I just couldn't. Forks was suffocating enough. I was too claustrophobic to deal with a prison cell.

"Wait there." I choked out another sob as the line went dead. In that moment, I wondered why I hadn't called Louise or Angela. I was drawn to Brady in a way that I couldn't even begin to understand. My plan had been to stay as far away from him as possible. He ignited feelings in me that I had never felt before, dangerous feelings that could hurt Matt.

I let out another strangled scream as someone knocked on the car window. I gripped onto the Trig textbook in my hand and held it like a weapon. My heart skipped a beat.

"Jade? Jade? It's me."

My whole body slumped in relief when I heard Brady's voice. Another wolf howled in the distance and I wiped the tears hastily from my face as I unlocked the door. I was surprised my legs didn't collapse underneath me as I stumbled from the car. Brady stood in the middle of the road, rain falling around him, but he didn't seem to notice it. Instead, his eyes seemed to be scanning me.

"Are you alright?" He went to take a step forward, but then seemed to think better of it, "Are you hurt?"

"N-no," My voice cracked; not physically at least, "D-did I hit-…What did I hit?"

I held onto the car door for balance as Brady walked slowly around to the front of the car. I could of sworn that I heard him growl under his breath.

His eyes were gentle as he turned back to face me. He held a brown hair in his hand.

"I think it was an animal," his eyes flashed briefly, "A wolf by the looks of things. It must be fine, they were probably curious and got too close to the road."

A wolf? A fucking wolf? I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"So, I didn't h-hit a person then?" Relief seemed to course through my blood. I felt tired suddenly, as if I had run a marathon.

"No," he shook his head. He was standing entirely too far away. It was probably for the best.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice still shaking, "I w-was so scared and I-"

My voice faltered as Brady took two steps forward and pulled me into a tight hug. I hid my face in his chest. It was only then that I realised all he had on was a pair of shorts.

"I'm glad you phoned," he sounded almost pained, "I told you that you can call me _anytime_. I'll always be around. Always."

"Thank you," I repeated. His skin was boiling hot. I hoped he wasn't getting sick because he was standing in the rain. My cheeks flushed as I realised how totally inappropriate it was for me to be hugging a half naked stranger on a dark road instead of being at home in bed with my fiancée. I flinched.

"I should go," I managed to untangle myself from Brady with some difficulty. His eyes widened as I took a step away from him.

"Let me drive you." He didn't give me a chance to say no before he stepped around me and walked towards the drivers seat.

"Shit," I muttered remembering the moments before Brady had arrived, "It didn't start when I tried earlier."

"Really?" Brady's face brightened considerably. It was as if I had just told him that he had won the lottery.

"I'm good with cars. I can take it back to mine and fix it up?"

Matt was going to kill me. He was never going to let me near the car again.

"The car actually belongs to a friend." The words felt wrong in my mouth. I was terrified that Brady would see right through my lies.

"Don't worry, it will be free of charge. I'll try and get it done quickly for your friend. You can come and get it when it's done."

"But I-"

"No arguments." He grinned. His grin seemed to spark something within me and I forgot what I was trying to say.

"I'll need to pay you something-"

"No."

"But I-"

"No," Brady laughed and reached into the car to grab the keys, brushing my arm in the process. I blushed and moved closer to Brady as a car approached in the distance. He put a reassuring hand on my arm as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Don't worry," his voice was low, "It's just my friend Colin. I called him so we can take you home." I was about to protest and say that I would phone Louise but the way he was looking down at me, so raw and pleading, all thoughts of my friends from Forks seemed to seep from my head.

"Someone called for a Knight in Shining Armour?" Colin stuck his head out of the truck window and smirked in my direction before raising his eyebrows at Brady. He couldn't seem to sit still, as if he was dying to ask Brady something but couldn't with me around. Colin had a childish way about him that I couldn't help but smile at. It was refreshing.

"Hey!" Brady protested, "I'm the Knight in Shining Armour. I rescued Jade, you just happen to be driving her home." I scoffed.

"No, no, no," Colin shook his head as my eyes darted between the two of them, "I have my trusty stallion. If it wasn't for me, you would both be stranded."

"He has a point." I commented. Colin winked at me and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I would have found a way to get us home," Brady grumbled.

"Stop moaning and get in the car. Unless, you want Jade to catch a cold?" Brady's eyes were instantly upon me again. I shivered.

"He's right," Brady admitted grudgingly. I almost laughed again when he opened the door for me; such a gentleman. There was three seats in the front. I was going to have to squash myself in between Brady and Colin. My eyes flickered to Matt's car one last time.

"What about-"

"Don't worry," It was as if Brady could read my mind, "Colin and I will tow it to my house later. But now you have no choice but to give me your number so I can tell you when I've fixed it." Brady looked entirely too pleased with himself.

I rolled my eyes as Colin waved a pen in front of my face. It was strange how comfortable I felt in their presence. Matt seemed to drift further and further away from my mind as Colin stepped on the gas and I fell sideways into Brady. He smiled softly down at me as he put his arm around my shoulders to keep me steady. I should have pushed him away, but I didn't. I should have phoned Matt to tell him that I had been in an accident, but I didn't. I shouldn't have felt anything other than friendly feelings towards Brady, but I did. Everything was so confusing.

"Wouldn't want you getting hurt," Brady mumbled before fixing his eyes straight ahead. He was entirely too cute. It was messing with my head.

_Thoughts? _


End file.
